


Demons From My Past

by Evenstarr



Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Demons, F/M, Succubi & Incubi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-21
Updated: 2016-05-26
Packaged: 2018-06-09 19:29:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 19,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6920086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evenstarr/pseuds/Evenstarr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Byakuya has lived everything there is to live for hundreds of years, being a powerful and skilled demon. Then his path crosses fatefully with a headstrong human girl, and he realizes he might not have lived... or loved long enough.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Harsh Acquiantance

**Author's Note:**

> I first published this ByaRuki fanfic on Feb 26, 2010 and it is ongoing to this day. I have decided to put up this work on my account here, to get a feel of AO3 and to see if I liked it better. 
> 
> This fanfic started on a whim years ago, as I struggled with some criticism (childishly, back then) surrounding another of my ByaRuki fanfic. So I decided to try my hand on an AU for this pairing, without the strict characterization that confines the characters in Bleachverse. 
> 
> This is an AU fic, set in the modern world. I've always known of the legend of Succubus (being featured so widely in movies and stories) and I find this legend very famous but not so for the Incubus, so I decided to work on it. This legend was not made up by me... though the processes described in the story regarding the demon is purely my creation (eg. the immortality... the need to derive life spirit... the Purification period... and the Sacred Exchange). :D Also, just for side information, the Incubus is not usually pictured as handsome but rather a troll-like creature with a short body... so I rather changed the concept here for Incubi to be real, hot Bleach characters. ;)
> 
> Do let me know what you think. 
> 
> Cheers.
> 
> evenstar lady

 

The woman below him moaned and Byakuya almost cringed in the midst of his movements. God, she sounded like fingernails on a chalkboard. He thrust again and she cried out in that whinnying voice.

That was it.

" _Get out_." Byakuya stopped and drew out of her, ignoring the annoying mewls from the woman below him. His body did not even protest at the sudden abrupt stop to the orgasmic activity, though Byakuya strongly doubted he could even reach it. Not because of the lack of his sexual prowess (that was definitely _very_ far from it), but because he might actually go deaf before he reached his climax. Or before that, he might actually tear that woman into pieces for being so fucking... _high-pitched_.

"Get out. I am done." He got up from the bed and picked up the black robe over the chair and draped it over himself, before knotting it tightly at the waist. He picked up his expensive silver lighter and the packet of Treasurers, and walked out to the balcony. A cool night breeze was blowing as Byakuya flicked his lighter and lit up one cigarette between his lips. He could hear the ruffle of clothes behind him as the woman got dressed ("Damn, she's _slow_ as well…") and could practically feel her eyes boring into him, but Byakuya did not even care.

He had paid for her. He could do away with her as he wished. And heck, it wasn't even worth it.

Though it wasn't to say he could not afford it. He could afford anything.

He was Kuchiki Byakuya, the rich, dashing playboy grandson of Kuchiki Ginrei, and acting director of the Kuchiki empire of hotel chains. He was rich, desirable, obnoxious and everything in a man every woman lusted after.

But he wasn't just _any_ man.

Byakuya stared out at the city landscape in the night. It was an endless field of white lights as far as he could see, from the houses to the lampstreets on the road.

_Earth had changed so much in the past two thousand years._

He wasn't just any man. In fact, he wasn't even a man. He was an Incubus, the real-life personification of the medieval folklore and legend of the infamous male demon, one which derived his energy and life spirit by sexually preying on women.

Earth certainly had changed a lot.

There was no need to prey on women anymore. Byakuya could do it fully in his own right… with just _money_. And besides the looks department, he was more than well-endowed financially. This all came from the history of the clan of Incubi and Succubi (the female counterpart of the Incubus) he belonged to. They had worked hard to reach where they were, slowly rising through the ranks of business to be one of the top leaders in the hotel chains, both regional and international.

Incubi and Succubi were also immortals, meaning Byakuya rarely had to attend the funeral of a clan or family member. But there was the word rarely, as all demons had a "Purification Period" once a year, in which they took on the mortal vulnerability of humans to so-call "purify" their damned souls. This was also the time in which other Incubi and Succubi would attack their enemies, to ensure a higher success rate of blood and death. And being immortals, his clan would move whenever they overstayed their logical period of time in a certain place, taking with them the fortune and members they had harvested over time, before settling in a new place to repeat the routine all over again. Or alternatively, the current members would go into hiding at a peaceful, faraway place for decades before returning with a completely new identity in the clan. Sometimes, more-than-alert mortals came close to the truth, and were appropriately "dealt with" by clan members. His demon clan had also withstood a lot of attacks for centuries now, and with their ever-growing power and size, other demons knew better than to mess with the nobles of the demon world.

But centuries back, his parents had died in an unsuspecting attack of an enemy clan and his grandfather arrived with reinforcements only in time to save his beloved grandson, who at that time, was just a baby. Kuchiki Ginrei launched a retaliation to the said clan, obliterating all members, whether male, female or child. Byakuya was then brought up under the close eye of his grandfather, and trained both in demonic combat skills and business management expertise. And as he grew, his clan members commented on the good looks and skill prowess he had inherited from both his Incubus father and Succubus mother, the parents he never knew.

"True love can only produce one such perfection," the female Succubi often giggled about him.

Byakuya did not know if his parents had truly loved each other, but they must have had, from the stories he had learned from his clan members. They said his parents were inseparable, going on attack trips and business meetings side by side almost every single time. He would then feel a tinge of pride each time he heard accounts of his parents like this.

However, Byakuya could not say he understood true love very much. Every female Succubus in his clan clearly had eyes for him, but he paid no attention to any of them. Upon his appointment as the acting head of the Kuchiki hotel empire, Ginrei had requested that Byakuya choose a mate for himself, to procreate and extend the blood of the clan. Byakuya asked for time then, but it had been five years since he had made the request. His grandfather was more than aware of Byakuya's playboy lifestyle and so did not comment on the absence of a long-term companion.

Yes, Byakuya was a playboy. A girl never lasted more than twenty-four hours at his side. The highest record was twenty-five hours, fifty-six minutes and thirty-one seconds. He never really cared for any woman beside him, only treating them as objects to gain sexual satisfaction, whether demon or human. Byakuya preferred female humans mostly, because he loved multi-tasking. And with humans, he could gain sexual gratification and replenish his life force supply at the same time. In short, he sucked their life force out in the midst of sex, and then watch them weaken and lose consciousness for the night. With demons, he could only have sex and he did not like the idea of performing the Sacred Exchange.

The only time Incubi and Succubi performed what they called the "Sacred Exchange" was when they interchangeably channeled their demon force into their respective partners during love-making, keeping each other responsive to the pleasure, as both demons are capable of sucking out life force (though demonic life force was nearly not as delicious or potent as human life force) from each other. It was what Incubi and Succubi performed when they finally found the right mate, that other demon they wanted their life intertwined with. It was a mutual exchange, one that symbolized love and promise for eternity.

Byakuya often scoffed at this. He had never performed the Sacred Exchange once in his two thousand years of life. The last time he had had sex with a Succubus, she had exhausted all her energy channeling them into him and he watched disdainfully as she practically fainted on the bed. That Succubus had then become the laughing stock of his clan when the story came out, and they labelled her as "Byakuya's Unwanted Trash". And more and more Succubi joined that list as time passed by.

Byakuya doubted if he would ever fall in love, or feel the way his father had felt for his mother.

He blew out a tendril of smoke into the air from his perfect lips.

_'And I don't even give a damn.'_

 

* * *

 

"I will be there in a second! Just… just hold the shop for fifteen minutes for me, will you, Nel?" The petite, raven-haired girl hurried along the streets, her slingbag over her shoulder. "I will be there in a flash! Thanks, you are a sweetheart!" She smiled at the response and snapped her phone shut.

Rukia was heading to her florist shop, but there was one place she needed to stop at first. She felt her face split into an anticipating grin.

_Shaved fruit ice._

They were her absolute favourite, and she had to have one plastic cup of the delight every Wednesday. They were really refreshing, and she had known the proprietor of the shop, a jovial old man for a few years now, being one of his faithful customers.

And she doubted anyone else ordered the shaved fruit ice the way she did. She would order strawberry flavour and request for extra sago and sweet milk over the ice. Strawberries were her favourite… both the fruit and the… _person_ , Rukia thought with a slight blush. She shook herself as she approached the shop and stopped as she spotted the long line of eager customers.

' _Oh well_ ,' she sighed as she got into line. There was always a long line for Yukara's Shaved Ice, they were after all the best ice desserts in town despite the humble appearance of the small shop. She stood in line and smiled happily as she caught sight of the large strawberry painting on the shop. She was practically salivating.

"My dear, one of your favourites as well?" She looked up at the kind voice, and at the old man standing in front of her who had just turned back with a friendly smile.

"Yes, definitely." She bowed respectfully. "Yours too, Gramps?"

The old man smiled. "My late wife used to love it a lot, and she got me into it." She watched a sad smile pass across the wrinkled face, and Rukia could not help it as she reached out and patted the old man's hand. "I still eat them… despite my old age."

"Nothing like staying young, Gramps. And you do look it!"

The old man chuckled, before he was overcome with a slight coughing fit.

"Oh no!" Rukia bent over him slightly and moved her hand smoothly over his back to soothe him. She had had a lot of practice in this. Her own father had a severe, chronic bloody cough that frequently landed him in emergency units each time and sent her into horrible worrying fits.

' _Otto-san_ ,' Rukia thought fondly, as she flashed on his kind smile and eyes, and his long white hair.

"I am alright, my dear. Thank you, you are quite an angel." The old man coughed one last time and smiled at her.

Rukia smiled back and wagged her finger. "That's what you think." They both laughed. Then her phone rang.

"Excuse me." Rukia snapped open the phone, and smiled at the name on the screen. "Ichigo?"

"Hey, Rukia! What are you doing?"

"Heading off to my flower shop soon for work! What's up?"

"Not much. Was wondering though… do you want to go to a movie this Saturday night?"

Rukia felt her heart skip a beat. _Movie… Saturday night?_

"S-Sure, Ichigo."

"That's settled then. I will meet you, Orihime, Nel and Ishida on the same street as usual, okay?"

Rukia swallowed the disappointment. Of course, a movie night with… _friends._ What was she thinking? That Ichigo was going to ask her out?

"Okay." She forced the cheery tone. "See you then."

"Great! Don't work so hard, okay?"

"You know I don't."

She heard his wonderful laugh. "Bye, Rukia."

"Bye."

* * *

 

"Hey Byakuya, why don't we try a bit of fortune-telling?"

"I never knew you believed these sort of things, Renji."

"No… but you know… just for the fun of it," Byakuya's fellow clan member smiled devilishly, raising his extravagant eyebrows.

Byakuya opened his mouth to say something but his brash friend had already hurried over to the roadside table on which an old woman sat with a pile of tarot cards. Renji was Byakuya's office assistant at the Kuchiki business empire, and also his extremely noisy friend. The red-haired demon was not as talented as Byakuya in business matters or combat but he was definitely learning. And looking for trouble was his number one hobby, as well as believing in rubbish like this.

Byakuya walked over to Renji, who was already eagerly seated in front of the old woman.

"Let's see… your birthday… January 31st is it not?"

Byakuya shrugged coolly. After two thousand times of celebrating, you did not really care anymore.

The old woman fixed her eyes on Byakuya and smiled. "Such an extraordinary being you are, mister. And you too." She smiled at an uncomfortable Renji, an emotionless Byakuya standing behind him. "What fortune would you like me to tell?"

Renji grinned excitedly, very much like a boy waiting to open a birthday present. "Let's see… wealth? No, we already know you can buy anything… and any woman in the world. Oh, that's it!" Renji snapped his fingers. "Love… love! We don't want another joining the trash list soon, do we, Byakuya?" He laughed loudly.

"Love… it is…" The woman smiled and turned a tarot card on the table. In spite of himself, Byakuya found himself leaning forward to look, as the woman placed three cards in succession on the table.

"Sun of the Arms. A poignant story." The woman smiled at the formation patterns on all three cards, before lifting her gaze to Byakuya. "She is nearer than you think she is. But you will know soon, if you do not already." She pointed at the second card. "And when you are hit inside, you change. You love... for eternity." Renji's eyes widened. "And this finally…

" _Enough_."

"Huh?" Renji turned around indignantly, but Byakuya had already turned away. "Renji, I am leaving. Thank you." Byakuya placed some cash on the table and walked away.

"H-Hey wait!" Renji got up from the table and hurried after Byakuya. "Don't you want to know what the ending card is?"

"No, I don't. It is a child's game."

"Hey… she says you are going to find your soulmate soon! And then… you love for eternity… or is that what she was saying?"

"I am off. Do return to the Kuchiki empire building for the evening paperwork, Renji."

"Where are you going?"

"To get my usual dose of sugar." Byakuya stopped outside his black limousine as his chauffuer opened the door. "I will see you in a while."

He got in and closed the door, before turning to his chauffeur.

"Yukara's Shaved Ice shop."

* * *

 

"That was lovely!" Rukia smiled happily. The old man had just related a story about a trip he and his beloved late wife had to a vineyard. "It was so nice for the both of you!"

"It was."

The line had been steadily moving forward as Rukia and the old man traded anecdotes on their lives. It was near the old man's turn to place his order.

"Gramps, it's your turn." Rukia nudged him gently and pointed at the young girl manning the store. Apparently, the proprietor was not here today, and had to rely on hs young workers.

The old man smiled at Rukia, and turned to the girl. "I will have-

_"One strawberry ice… with extra sago and sweet milk."_

Rukia's eyes widened in shock at the deep voice. For a moment, she thought someone had plucked the thoughts out of her head and made her own order for her. She looked at the back of the tall man in front of them, who had just popped out of nowhere. Rukia's shock turned to anger as she realized he had cut the awfully long queue and that many people were grumbling behind her. Rukia watched as the young female worker's face took on a dreamy look and immediately began working on the ice.

_What!?_

"Hey, why don't you queue? There are many others waiting in line." Rukia spoke up loudly behind the old man.

The man slowly turned to her.

And Rukia immediately felt her heart skip a beat as she saw his face. He was very handsome, with dreamy grey eyes and strands of long black hair falling over them as he looked at her. His face was very well-defined... with the lines of his strong chin and the sharp features of his cheekbones. He was wearing a dark purple collared shirt buttoned up loosely at the front, and a black formal office coat.

"My time is important," he spoke slowly in a deep voice, his grey eyes fixed on her. Rukia shook herself mentally and glared at him. She heard the silent menace in his tone but she did not back down.

"Well, so are ours. This old man has waited here for almost fifteen minutes, and you, a young man, can definitely do more than that and show some respect to elders."

The man stared at her silently. "Your time is nothing compared to mine."

Rukia bristled at the arrogant statement. "And your manners are laughable compared to mine. I would have thought a man of your stature…" She looked him up and down for emphasis. "… would know better to understand basic rules as taking turns and queuing."

She heard a deep chuckle escape the man, but he turned back to accept the plastic ice cup from the breathless female worker. Rukia felt like slapping the girl. Didn't she know better to turn rude customers down, than to let them get their way?

The man took the plastic bag and without even so much as a glance at Rukia or the old man, he walked past them.

That did it.

Rukia walked out of line, ignoring the protests of the old man behind her and followed in the rude stranger's tracks.

* * *

"I demand you give the old man an apology." Byakuya heard the angry voice, and he slowly turned back to see the furious girl.

"Why are you so against me cutting the queue? Is it for the old man… or for _yourself_?"

Rukia sputtered angrily at his response. "I-It is for all of us! That was rude and uncivilized, you didn't even say sorry to him." She glared at Byakuya fiercely, as if by doing so, he would get down on his knees and beg for forgiveness. "You know, God is really fair. Apparently people with nice outsides have really nasty insides."

"Not really. Some people are nasty… both outside and inside."

Rukia felt herself ballooning in anger. "You are such a _demon_!"

She watched surprise flicker in the grey eyes of the man, the first real hint of emotion in his face, before an easy smile grazed his lips. "Am I really?"

"Master Kuchiki, is there a problem?" A short man dressed in a formal office attire came up to them and bowed to him, before shooting a dirty look at Rukia.

"No,… just some… _nuisance_ ," The rude stranger spoke smoothly, before sweeping past her.

She whirled as he passed her. "You should apologize!"

Byakuya stopped, before silently turning back to her. He slowly passed the plastic bag of ice to his chauffeur before slipping his hand into his pocket. Rukia narrowed her eyes apprehensively, her stance taking a defensive pose. "This would definitely settle that hot air of yours." Byakuya produced a wad of cash from his Armani wallet.

He saw the girl's eyes widened. Byakuya nearly scoffed.

_All humans... are the same._

He moved his hand forwards and watched as she reached out to the money. The next thing happened in a blur. The money was whipped out of his hand and then he felt the paper fly out at him. One hit him lightly on the cheek. He kept his cool gaze on the angry girl before him as all the money floated to the floor. She had taken his money. And thrown them back in his face.

"People like you make me _sick_ ," The girl hissed, her violet eyes so big with ferocity for someone so small. She turned her back on him and walked back to the ice shop. Byakuya stared after her silently.

"Master Kuchiki! Are you alright? Shall I go and deal wi-

Byakuya lifted a hand in the air. He watched the girl disappear into the shop, and almost scoffed again. _If you knew I could break you so easily with just one hand… you wouldn't show that face to me._

"Let's go," he spoke silently and turned to the car. His chauffeur started retrieving the cash from the pavement as Byakuya took up the ice dessert and opened the car door to settle himself into the comfortable backseat.

 

* * *

 

Rukia cut the stalks of white lilies expertly as she eyed the purple wrapping paper before her, wondering how she could decorate the bouquet this time. The almost empty plastic cup of ice dessert sat next to the roll of ribbon and tape.

Other than the encounter with the rude man at the ice shop ("I can't believe the jerk has the same taste as me in shaved ice!"), Rukia's day was going rather well. She had gotten ten flower orders and was already setting out to work on the third. She hummed slightly to herself as she reached for the roll of glittery purple ribbon.

She stopped as she heard the familiar ring tone.

"Hello?"

"Rukia, it's me!"

"Hanatarou, what's up?" Rukia smiled cheerfully.

"I-I am g-good! I… I…"

"What's wrong? You sound breathless!" Rukia laughed.

"Rukia, your D-Dad passed out!"


	2. Desperate

Rukia dashed through the heavy swinging doors, her heart pounding. She hurried through the long hallway, and her footsteps echoed with each hurried step she took.

Rukia had always hated hospitals. The white-washed walls, the smell of sterile antiseptic in the air, the smart clink of lethal silver instruments… she hated them all. But she hated the hospital most because it was the place where the moustached doctor told her that the most her Otousan could live on was for another five more years. Rukia hated it so much. Hated the doctor for divulging the news with such a calm expression. Hated herself for not being able to do anything. Hated it when Otousan turned to her with his usual kind smile and told her he wanted to go home and taste her sweet-and-sour pork dish. It had been almost six years since then, and Otousan still lived and breathed at her side. That just showed how much doctors knew. But ever since five years had passed, Rukia had always worried… always feared that one day, God was going to snatch Otousan away from her side, leaving her all alone again.

She never wanted to be alone ever again in her life.

She wanted to be by Otousan's side.

Rukia remembered the painful years of growing up in an orphanage. She never knew her parents, always having lived in the orphanage since for as long as she could remember. She did not know where she came from and how she came to be here. But one thing she did know and that life in the orphanage was… _hell._ Everyone was rude and rough, and fought with you to take things that were rightfully yours. And then when any childless couple came with the possibility of adoption, all the dirty behaviour was covered up with cute smiles and clean etiquette.

Rukia hated it.

She soon learned how to fight and fend for herself, even going so far as to bloody the noses of every single boy who ever fought with her. She was frequently punished, as she was never one to run away from her actions. And she never put on fake fronts in front of possible adopting couples, resulting in stagnant years in the orphanage.

And then one day, it all changed.

Rukia had been excited that day, because that day was her "free" day in which she was allowed to go to the street opposite the orphanage, to the row of shops and buy whatever she wanted to with her pocket money. Rukia had been saving up for it, because she had badly wanted a tube of candies in the shape of a rabbit.

Rukia had always loved bunnies, and was particularly fierce whenever other children tried to take any of her possession in that nature.

She remembered seeing the candy shop as she got beyond the gates of her orphanage. She also remembered dashing across the street happily, almost unable to wait to get her hands on the bunny candy. She also remembered the hard painful impact of fast steel on her small body, and the asphalt grazing her skin painfully, opening up wounds everywhere on her body. She remembered the sound of a car door opening and the worried face of a man with long white hair looking down at her, as shouts and screams erupted all around her.

No one had ever looked at Rukia that way.

" _B-Bunny… s-sweets_ …" was all she could whisper before darkness overcame her.

And when her eyes opened, the first thing she saw was the white lined ceiling. She groggily shifted slightly on the bed and tried to take in her surroundings. Where was she? As she looked around, she gasped and immediately got up from bed. A gigantic rabbit plushie stood at the foot of the bed, smiling so adorably at her. Whose toy was this? Rukia badly wanted to touch it, to hug it, but she would not do so without permission. So she stared hungrily at the cute fluffy toy, until the door opened.

It was the man whose face was the last thing Rukia saw, and his face split into a happy grin as he saw her. Rukia liked this man, she liked him a lot. He did not look like someone who would beat her (or beat anyone for that matter) and she briefly wondered how it would feel to hug him.

"I'm glad you are okay!" The man had said and settled at the bedside.

Rukia nodded silently but she could not resist much longer. "M-Mister… w-whose rabbit is that?" She pointed to the heaven before her eyes.

The man smiled again.

"It's _yours_."

"H-Huh?"

"I bought it for you."

The man lifted the toy rabbit and gave it to her. Knowing it be rude, Rukia still snatched the rabbit from his hand and hugged it happily in her arms. The man watched her with his kind smile.

After nuzzling her cheek into the fur, Rukia looked up and remembered her manners. "T-Thank you. B-But why?"

"Because small girls who don't cry after getting hit by a car deserve presents."

"Then I want to get hit by a car everyday. Because I don't cry easily."

"Oh no, that won't be good!" The man chuckled. "You don't cry easily?"

Rukia shook her head.

The man smiled at her. This time, Rukia could not help it. She smiled back.

That man's name was Ukitake Jushiro. He later frequented the orphanage a lot, just to play with her. He worked in a printing company, and had no wife or children. Rukia started looking forward so much to his days of visit, almost like the air she breathed. The other children and administrators of the orphanage often puzzled over what he saw in the cold and hostile little girl. And then, after just three months, he adopted her.

_Ukitake Rukia._

Rukia then grew up under his care, and loved her Otousan more than her own life. Otousan was a gentle and good-natured man, who never harboured any bad intentions to anyone. He was very well-liked amongst the people, be it his neighbours or work colleagues. He made sure she went to a proper school, where she made friends. He took her on occasional trips to the country, taught her gardening (his favourite pastime) and watched as she grew into the university student she now was. Rukia loved spending time with him, it didn't matter where or what they were doing. She enjoyed their bonding time over meals a lot, whenever he teased her about Ichigo (where Rukia would then blush) or ask her how her studies were coming along. And so many years back, they had bonded for the very first time… in a hospital.

_Hospitals._

She had been to the hospital every week for the last few months. Otousan had frequent coughing fits now with _blood_ … and she was so scared. Her next-door neighbour and close friend from school days, Yamada Hanataro, a rather cute and clumsy boy often helped her look out for her Otousan and Rukia was grateful. She trusted Hanataro with her father's care whenever she was busy, even going so far as to provide him her bank account number and PIN in case her father ever needed emergency medication or hospital admission.

_Money._ That was also one thing Rukia had been struggling with for the past few years. Otousan was of middle-class socioeconomic status before he adopted her, and he had spent so much over her for her food, education and small things to to make her happy. Rukia had not realized this until she was older. And when he got sicker, he could only go in to work occasionally, cutting his pay into half. Rukia was still studying in the university and despite taking up part-time jobs and setting up a florist shop just over their house, she could not really make the ends meet whenever Otousan lapsed into a seriously ill period.

She had been borrowing heavily from banks, loans that she might not be able to repay back. She borrowed occasionally from friends as well but she kept that to a minimal, not wanting Ichigo and the others to catch on that she was in a financial crisis. They would certainly pitch in and help but they weren't all that rich and Rukia preferred not to burden them.

But this time… this time was the _worst_. Rukia walked on fast, despite the sinking feeling in her stomach. She had not had any part-time jobs in two weeks, which meant the current savings in her bank account would be miniscule. She swallowed and walked on.

* * *

 

"Otousan!" Rukia anxiously walked over to the bed, as Jushiro Ukitake smiled at her.

"Rukia."

He looked so pale it pained Rukia to see him like this. He always smiled whenever he saw her, regardless of whatever condition he was in.

"H-How are you?" Rukia sat by his bedside and placed her hand over his.

"I am good, still strong, Rukia." He patted her hand affectionately. "Shall we go now?" He smiled and tried to swing his legs over the bed, but was overcomed by yet another coughing fit. Rukia ran her hands slowly over his back to soothe him as she pushed him back gently into his original position.

"Otousan, you will have to stay here for a few days. Let the doctors take care of you for a while and then we can go home."

"Rukia, it's okay."

He knew, knew that they were hopelessly deficient in the financial aspects. Rukia knew Otousan wanted to work more so he could earn more money but she would often override his protests in favour of his health. It always pained her when he tried to put money first before his well being.

"It's alright, Otousan." Rukia put up a hand to stop him. "It will be alright. And if you are good and stay put in the hospital, I will cook you something really nice when you come home." She smiled at him.

"It's the other way around now, isn't it?" Ukitake laughed as Rukia lowered her head down to their hands. "So many years have passed, and my little girl has grown up."

"Yeah, Otousan." She closed her eyes and smiled in contentment as she felt her father stroke her hair like he used to when she was a kid.

* * *

 

"Sign him in for admission, Hanataro."

"But the money, Rukia-san…"

"I will deal with it. There will be money in my bank account by six in the evening. Do withdraw it out and make the payments then. I am sorry for troubling you, Hanataro." Rukia tried to smile but she could only manage a very faint and weak one. Despite telling her Otousan that everything was going to be alright, she did not know if it would. How was she going to get more money this time? How was she going to make it all pull through again, as she did so many times before?

Without another word, she exited the hospital with only the sole determination of her father's smile fixed in her heart.

_I can do this._

_I can do this...  
_

* * *

 

_5 p.m._

_How could I ever do this?  
_

Rukia walked on, trying to keep the spirit alive in her heart. Didn't they say willpower and integrity would finally pave the way in the end? Didn't they say good things always happen to good people? Otousan was a human angel, he certainly was. Why couldn't God provide him the same goodness in his life as the one he carried around in his soul?

She had been going around random streets and shops for three hours now, looking for a fast-pay job that she could take up for money. Any menial work would do. She could even get down and scrub dirty floors or lift heavy bags of rice if it came down to it.

But every single shop had turned her down. Rukia was physically strong, she knew she was. But all the shop proprietors clearly did not think along the same lines. All they did was take one long look at her before shaking their heads and brushing her off. The desperation was growing in Rukia's heart. She had less than an hour to get the payment money for Otousan's hospital admission.

She was Ukitake Rukia, she must come up with something.

She had begged at the last five shops, but to no avail. Sooner or later, she would not need to act teary or pathetic, the waterworks were threatening to overwhelm her for real. Why was the world so against her, what had she done wrong? What had Otousan done wrong? Rukia felt the weight in her heart further constrict her, making it hard to breathe, hard to move. Everything needed money, just about everything. Soon, every breath she took was going to cause her a cent each time.

She was just a girl, she could not handle this much on her shoulders. But she had to, she wanted to… _because she loved Otousan_. Rukia would even crawl over sharp shards of glass if it meant keeping Otousan happy and healthy, and by her side for always. She would do _anything_.

_Money…_

_Anything…_

_Anything for money…_

"Preoccupied, my dear?"

Rukia's eyes widened and she turned at the sultry voice.

"Love problems, perhaps? Maybe you need to get some _physical_ outlet to vent your frustration." The woman near her forties sporting fake pencilled brows and extravagant make-up smiled knowingly at her, leaning against a wall as she smoked a cigarette between her many-ringed fingers.

Rukia looked up at the shop sign and felt her stomach twist into a hundred knots. She turned back to the woman, who was now observing her from head to toe.

"D-Do you have a job vacancy?"

"My dear, we always have job vacancies _here_... ever since a thousand years." The woman blew a ring of smoke at Rukia, who smothered the cough threatening to leap into her mouth.

"I… I was thinking menial work or… or cleaning…"

The woman looked up at her and smiled. "Beggars can't be choosers, my dear."

"Madam Aiko!" A shrill, high-pitched voice called out from the inside of the building and the woman dropped the cigarette to the pavement. She smiled a last time at Rukia and went in through the glass doors.

Rukia's hands clenched slightly at her sides. She looked at the fading amber of the cigarette tip on the asphalt and up again at the bright shop's sign. It wasn't a shop. It was a parlor.

_Madam Aiko's Parlor._

And Rukia was no fool. She knew what it really was.

_A brothel._

That much was obvious from the shrill giggles she could faintly catch from inside the parlor and the few strange men milling around near the entrance. Rukia's hands clenched again.

It was also the only place that did not turn her away.

Steeling herself, she marched up to the door and pushed it open.

* * *

 

Rukia felt her heart pound fast as she stepped into the heavily-perfumed foyer. The rich carpet sunk underneath her sandals as she approached the gold and red counter, where the woman was sitting as she flipped pages in a recording book.

"Mimi, get into room 305. Master Sato is coming along anytime soon," she spoke into a white cordless phone.

Rukia felt her cheeks heat up as she heard the words.

_It really was a brothel._

The woman looked up as she noticed Rukia and smiled in surprise. "Interested in a job, my dear?"

"I…" Rukia's hands twisted the ends of her dress. "I was hoping I could find a job like a cleaner or something here. I can really work hard, and I am strong despite how I look! Your money will be worth it!" The words came out in a nervous rush from Rukia's mouth.

The woman had been observing her silently as she talked. Now, she lowered the record book and fixed Rukia with her eyes.

"I do not doubt it that you may be strong but we do not have need for cleaners or manual labour here. The only jobs we have here are for those who can provide us the fine services... _of a female body_."

Rukia felt her face turn red.

"We pay very well, being a distinguished institution in this trade." The woman looked up at her. "There is no cheating, no scam or compromise. You give, and we give in return. You cross us, and that will be the last thing you ever do. I, Madam Aiko, pride myself on the honesty and code with which I carry my job, and that has brought this parlor to the success it is having right now."

"I…"

_She should leave, this was bad._

"Interested? You don't look much, but the plain-looking ones are always the most ferocious ones which keep customers coming back for more."

"I… N-No!" Rukia was mortified. "I… I do not have experience, and I... I want a one-time job. Maybe cleaning or... or..."

_She should leave, she really should._

"No experience… at all?" Madam Aiko raised one pencilled brow at her.

Rukia nodded slowly.

"You are a virgin?"

Turning even redder, Rukia nodded.

_Leave_.

"Hmm… there are not many girls who come here to offer their virginities for only a one-time job, as you say. You having financial trouble somewhere?"

The same nod again.

"Hmmm…" Madam Aiko tapped her chin with her finger. "I am sorry but we rarely take in virgins, especially those not interested in learning the trade long-term. We strive on the satisfaction of customers and virgins are, shall I say, a little inadequate in that area. Perhaps you could come back… after you have _learned_?"

* * *

 

"Phew! Tiring week, I'm going to reward myself with… a nurse-themed affair tonight," Renji laughed, and flexed his powerful arms.

"You better make the call then," Yumichika smiled elegantly. "Or maybe you would like a threesome?"

Renji's eyes widened. "Good idea! It would be good if we could ask Byakuya to join us in one! But I'm feeling egotistical tonight…" Renji tapped his chin. "Maybe a student-teacher theme instead?"

"When you both have decided how you want to play your twisted fantasies, you might want to get started on your work reports before you are allowed to do so." Both demons turned around at the deep voice as Byakuya stepped into the office tearoom and poured himself a cup of coffee.

"Hey, Byakuya! Today's your diet day as well right? Where are you going?"

Byakuya closed his eyes and inhaled the fresh Cuban coffee smell. "The usual." He walked off with the cup in one hand, leaving his assistants staring at him in confusion.

* * *

 

Byakuya opened the sleek glass door of his office suite and walked up to his desk. He took a sip of hot coffee and put it down before reaching for the phone.

_The usual._

His diet day. He had been running low on human energy spirit for two weeks now. He was going to feed today.

Byakuya had always patroned Madame Aiko's Parlor, the famous feeding nest for Incubi owned by the haughty demon mistress. The girls there were not bad though the quality had been declining slightly.

But today, he had something else in mind. Byakuya lifted the silver handle of his office telephone and dialed the number.

* * *

 

The ringing phone cut the conversation short.

"Hold on a second." Giving a hopeless look at Rukia, the woman picked up the phone.

"Code 22211837."

"Oh hello, Byakuya! How are you doing?"

"I'm good," Byakuya answered crisply at the flirtatious older woman's voice. He sometimes thought this old hag ought to retire in the business. After all, this job line focuses a lot on looks and sexual gratification, which he doubted she had neither to provide. "I was wondering if I could have some company tonight?"

"Certainly, certainly. Which would you like, my dearest? Would you like the ones with a recorded 1-month time apart, or the 2-months?"

"Actually, I was wondering if I could have a _new_ one tonight."

" _New_ _?_ " He heard the surprise in the older demoness's voice and could practically see her lifting her heavily pencilled brows.

"Yes, possibly a virgin. But I understand if it's really hard to find one at this ti-

"But of course, Byakuya. You are in luck, we do have someone new, really new if you know what I mean…" The woman looked over at the nervous, petite girl in front of her. "How about that?"

The old hag had someone new? He must be in luck. Byakuya had suddenly decided on this on the spur of the moment. Over the years, he had found the sex horribly starting to be a routine for him, instead of a need to release sexual frustration and to derive erotic pleasure. He had not felt those in months. He needed a virgin. Virgins were always harder to go about, and perhaps that would arouse him again.

At least, that was plan A. Plan B was just to turn homosexual, though he doubted this would also work. The only passion he felt for Renji and all the other male Incubi was passion for bloody violence, whenever they drove him up the wall with all their incessant complaints and office work.

"Good. I will come along in two hours' time."

* * *

 

Rukia watched nervously as the woman placed the phone down on its handle and turned to her slowly.

"You are in luck. There is a customer desiring…" The woman looked her up and down. "… _fresh_ services for today. He will be coming along in two hours. Would you still like to take up the job?"

Rukia's hands reflexively fisted in fear as her eyes widened in shock.

_A customer?_

_Two hours?_

She should leave… this was bad. So bad…

_I regret to inform you this but your father can only live for a maximum of five years from now._

No, she had to do this. There was no other jobs, no other escape. She couldn't go on borrowing money forever. It was just one night… maybe just a few painful hours. They would be the worst hours of her life… but then she would be free to breathe for at least a month and getting a head start on expenses. Maybe even repaying some of the loans.

_5.50 p.m._

There was a first time for everything… no one else would know and she would never see the man again. She would take this dark secret of hers to the grave. She had heard of students in her class having sexual encounters with strangers they did not even know in nightclubs, and this would not be very far from it.

_Otousan…_

Rukia took a deep breath and looked the woman in the eye.

"I would like to know the deals of payment."


	3. A Night Like No Other

The sleek, black Porsche zoomed neatly into the parking space in an expertly executed arc. Byakuya often used his small, speedy babies for trips like this, preferring to keep a low profile on the streets rather than using his red hot Lamborghini or silver Jaguar. He killed the engine and retrieved the keys from the ignition. Taking up his wallet and mobile, he straightened his coat and exited the car before heading through the parking lot to the parlor doors.

* * *

 

Rukia sat on the bed, her heart thudding fast and her body drenched in cold sweat. She looked up at the small, black clock mounted on the wall.

_8.00 p.m._

_It was time._

How… how was she going to do this? Didn't they say it hurt? That if the guy was so rough, you wouldn't be able to walk for days? That girls usually ended up crying in pain?

Rukia did not know which of these statements were true. She had never been intimate with anyone before, had never even kissed. She was so scared. And then, there was the fact that this man was going to be a complete stranger. Giving her precious virginity, the only most precious thing she had with her, over to someone she did not even know. Someone she did not even love. Someone who was only here for sexual favours.

Rukia felt fear and sadness grip her heart.

When she finally gave up her virginity, she wanted it to be for the guy she would love forever in her life. She was traditional, but she would have wanted her first time to be beautiful and magical, in the arms of the one she loved, and the one she married.

It wasn't like that. It wasn't like that now.

Because she had given it up for _money_.

Madam Aiko had not been joking, the pay had been good. Very good. Rukia had deposited the money into her account at 5.59 p.m, just a minute before Hanataro would check in for the cash. And she still had substantial remainders once the hospital fee was taken out.

It was good.

The only problem was to carry out the act the money had come with. Madam Aiko had paid her and gave her a subsequent deadly warning that she would sent thugs to break Rukia's legs or do even worse things to her and her family if she backed out of the deal. Rukia wondered if many girls had backed out after they received the money but as she sat now in the room on the bed, there was no mistaking why they did what they did. But Rukia couldn't run away, not when she had Otousan with her, and he was sick.

_'Ukitake Rukia… just… just… do it.'_

* * *

 

The polished black shoes sunk easily into the rich carpet as Byakuya strode elegantly across the foyer to the counter. He watched Madam Aiko rise from behind the desk to greet him.

"Byakuya, how are you?"

"I am good." He responded coolly.

"It's room 306."

Byakuya nodded.

"And… she's really… _new_. As in… really, really new."

"That's what I need."

* * *

 

Rukia turned slowly to look at the soft white bed she was sitting on. Madam Aiko had briefed her on the three golden rules to be observed in the bedroom. One, stay on the bed at all times. Two, let him have his way with you. Three, stay on the bed at all times and let him have his way with you. Now, she stared at the white bed and its many sheets and pillows. Despite the pureness and softness of its look, she felt the intimidation creep in. Was this where she was going to-

The rest of her thoughts never had the chance to unravel as the door opened and Rukia spun around fearfully to look into the face of the man who would ultimately own everything of hers that night.

* * *

 

Byakuya stared at the small figure sitting on the bed. God, Madam Aiko was right. She was so small, he would have to take extra care not to break her, kill her even. Was she even over the legal age for this?

And as her head whipped around at his entrance, Byakuya saw her face. His grey eyes widened.

He knew _her_.

He knew this girl. He had met her before.

And as the fear and recognition clouded her wide violet eyes, he recognized her at once.

The smirk slowly spread across his face as he closed the door behind him with a click. " _Well, weren't you a bit too cocky with the money this afternoon?_ "

* * *

 

Rukia's eyes widened as she saw his face.

_That man._

Her worst nightmare had come true. It was someone she knew. Or at least someone she had met before.

And it was the man whom she had scolded at the ice shop. The one who had arrogantly remarked that his time was above everyone else's and how he had tried to shut her up with money.

And now… he had really bought her with his money.

She was completely at his mercy. Rukia had never been more humiliated in her life. She wondered if she could go to Madam Aiko to ask for a different customer before realizing that he was the man who had called in the evening to specially request for a virgin.

_"Well, weren't you a bit too cocky with the money this afternoon?"_

And as he spoke those words, Rukia felt like killing herself. She wanted to shout at him that this was not her choice, that her Otousan was ill, that this was the only way out.

But she kept silent, trying to gather as much of her crushed dignity around her as possible, as the man stepped into the room and smirked at her.

_She hated him… hated him with all her guts._

* * *

 

Byakuya smiled at her. He was going to take his time with her and make her eat her words.

It was a bit unnatural to see the fierce, feisty girl from this afternoon look so uneasy and silent on the bed.

_People like you make me sick._

_Do I?_

He started to shrug out of his office coat and watched her flinch at the slight action. He smiled again and placed the coat on the chair.

He couldn't resist the next taunt. "I don't know if you should be happy or sad. I am… very good a customer in _bed_." Byakuya smirked at her. "But I am a _demon_ … am I not?"

She looked up, her eyes wide and Byakuya could see the sharp retort already on the tip of her tongue. But as he watched, her lower lip trembled slightly and her eyes clouded over with the fear as she swallowed her words.

It made something move within Byakuya. He had also not realized she had very big violet eyes.

_God, this was really fun._

"Cat got your tongue?" he asked easily and stepped forward. He watched her recoil slightly on the bed but she did not move. Madam Aiko must have given her the standard rules of the parlor house.

"Well, I won't waste much of our time here. You know what you are here for, and I know what I paid for." Byakuya placed both hands on either side of her as she sat on the bed. He could practically hear her fast beating heart. He bent closer to her and watched her violet eyes widen even more.

They were rather pretty, that shade of dark purple which seemed to turn to dark blue if you tilted your head slightly to the side. And they were so… _absorbing_ , with all the lively emotions dancing around in them. Byakuya shook himself slightly.

No, he was going to be one playing the games here.

He bent closer to her and moved suddenly to the side. He nuzzled her neck slightly, getting the very first feel of her skin.

It was _delightful_.

She trembled and he could practically feel her fear and apprehension. He was going to make her crack from them. And her life force… it smelled good. She smelled good. Byakuya could almost sense a familiarity in the light floral scent coming from her skin, and he loved it. It wasn't often that he encountered women with natural scents like this. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.

_Good. This was good._

"Bathe now."

Rukia looked up at him, flustered. Byakuya pointed easily to a door in the room, before flipping his mobile open without another word.

Feeling ridiculous, Rukia got up and walked clumsily to the bathroom. She opened the door and stopped to turn sideways at him. He never lifted his eyes from his phone. But as she was about the close the door, she heard the deep voice.

"You can leave your clothes in there when you come out."

* * *

 

Byakuya keyed in the four replies to his consultants and flipped his phone shut. He could hear the shower running in the bathroom and smirked again.

He was going to have so much fun breaking her.

A sudden beeping sound diverted his attention to his sleek silver mobile. No, it wasn't his. He looked up at her phone and purse sitting on the bedside table. Byakuya easily reached over for the mobile. He stared down at the small handphone with ridiculous bunny stickers all over it.

_'Rukia, I took the money from your account for your father's hospital admission. Thank God you found a cashier job tonight, if not, we won't be able to pay. I did not know cashier jobs paid so well. Don't overwork. See you.'_

Byakuya stared at the message silently.

* * *

 

Rukia let the warm water run down her skin. She closed her eyes, and tried to wake up from this nightmare. To wake up back in her room at home as Otto-san knocked on her door to tell her breakfast was ready. She lathered more of the lavender body wash in her hands and rubbed them all over her body.

The water beat down on her, steady and warm. Rukia pressed her head against the tiled bathroom wall.

_How do I... do this?_

* * *

 

"Lie down on the bed."

Rukia felt her breath hitch in her throat, as she stood at the bathroom door. She was draped in a white terrycloth robe, her daytime clothes in her hand.

_I can't do this! I really can't!_

But the lady had already paid for her, she had taken the money. She had to follow through on the deal.

Rukia closed her eyes and clenched her hands, trying not to let them tremble. She walked over and placed her clothes on an armchair and went over to the bed. She got up on it and lowered her head onto the pillow, her body movements rigidly mechanical and stiff. She heard the man move around the room and heard the flick of a light switch. The yellow light bulb above her dimmed slightly. Rukia felt her heart seize in fear.

_No. No. No. No._

Then out of the corner of her eye, she saw him approach the bed, before the mattress depressed slightly.

He was now on the bed with her.

Rukia squeezed her eyes shut, trying to calm her erratic breaths.

_You can do this. Just… just act like it's all… all a horrible nightmare. It will be over in a couple of hours._

She felt something warm move across her cheek, and her eyes shot open. Immediately, her wide violet orbs locked on piercing grey ones. The man was directly above her now and he was… _caressing_ her face.

Rukia wanted to scream but she forced herself to stay silent.

"What is your name?"

Her eyes shot up to look at him. He looked back calmly at her.

Her mind worked fast and she opened her mouth. "H... Hikari."

He bent lower to her and her hands clenched tightly on the sheets, she could feel her own nails biting into her skin through the fabric. He continued moving lower, his body was pressing over hers…

…and he _kissed_ her. Rukia's eyes widened as the stranger's lips met her own. His lips were astonishingly warm and soft, despite the cold and forbidding exterior he exuded. Rukia kept her mouth tightly shut, trying to minimize the contact of their lips. She heard a deep chuckle and his lips swept lightly across hers, taking away her first kiss. She gasped as they moved across her cheek to the side of her face. He trailed slowly upwards to her ear, as Rukia tried to block the sensation of his lips from her mind.

" _Liar_ …" he whispered into her ear, and Rukia shivered. "Your name is…

He bent lower and kissed the sensitive spot below her ears.

"… _Ru… kia_."

Her eyes widened in shock at hearing her name in that deep voice. "H-How…

"One always has to know who's he playing with. If not, it's very easy to… _lose_." The stranger withdrew his lips from her ear and smiled at her. "It is my absolute…" He intentionally let his eyes rove over her, as the fear overtook her heart. "… _pleasure_ to meet you. My name is…

… _Byakuya._ "

* * *

 

Byakuya.

It was a very nice name, and a very handsome face to go with it. But Rukia knew better. This mysterious man was all rotten inside. He cut queues, was disrespectful and frequented brothels. That much could be said about him… and she was giving herself to this sort of man.

His hand slowly moved down her blouse, and Rukia badly wanted to move away from his touch. She should not let anyone touch her like this… but he had paid for this… paid for her. His hand moved and cupped her breast through her robes and Rukia jerked at the touch.

_No. No. No._

Tears were tickling her throat.

_No, she did not want this. She was going to lose everything to this man._

'Think about Otousan. It's all worth it, Otousan will be happy and healthy.' Rukia flashed on her kind-hearted father's smile and felt the pain lessen a little. Yes, it was all worth it. But her momentary courage was shattered as the man began to fondle her breast through the fabric, his lips nibbling slightly on her neck.

The tears surged up to Rukia's mouth and before she could stop it, a loud sob escaped her. The man's hand and mouth immediately stopped moving, as Rukia gasped in shock. Slowly, he pulled back to look at her. Rukia immediately turned her head as far as she could from him and rubbed the tears from her eyes.

_Damn it, he now knew she was crying!_

"Rukia, look at me."

Her head snapped up to look at him, and more tears brimmed in her eyes. His voice was deep, and almost commanding. She clenched her hands on the sheets, trying not to let any tears spill over her cheeks. She was so pathetic, lying below him and trying to show a brave front.

He bent down, and Rukia braced herself for the same foreign feeling on her neck.

Instead, the deep voice whispered into her ear, and Rukia's eyes widened. " _Cry, Rukia_."

"W-Wha-

"Cry now. I do not want you crying when I am having you. It's off-putting," Byakuya spoke.

Tears made their way to Rukia's eyes, almost as if the handsome stranger had commanded them to in his deep voice. She let them flow and sobbed uncontrollably below him. She was humiliated beyond belief.

She was never this weak.

_I do not want you crying when I am having you._

_It's off-putting._

She had no way out. She had to go through with this. Rukia's tears continued to flow down her face. She felt like killing herself, and killing this man for witnessing her condition like this.

She gasped as his hands suddenly gripped her. His touch this time was gentle and soft, almost soothing. Rukia felt the tears slow a little in their onslaught, though they still made their way down her face. Then she felt his lips kiss the salty trails on her cheek.

"W-Wha-

" _Cry_ …" he murmured, his deep voice suddenly husky. More tears made their way down Rukia's face and the mysterious man tasted them all off on his lips. His hand moved to her cheek and he stroked her face gently. The other hand rubbed the curve of her waist slowly, until his touch no longer… no longer… no longer felt… _foreign_.

He kissed her cheek one last time and then moved to her nose where he planted soft, tender kisses. And then he slowly moved down to her lips.

His warm mouth moved over hers, gentle and soothing. And almost… _coaxing_ …

* * *

 

Byakuya was curious. Very curious about this small girl below him. She was crying. God, it seemed as if it was pitiful for her to have sex with him. But Byakuya knew why… it was because she was virgin… and the phone message…

He felt a slight stirring in the depths of his body.

He had requested her to cry out first, before they proceeded. She was really pitiful, but Byakuya wasn't going to let her get out of this with her waterworks. He had paid for her (though it was almost a nonexistent amount to him) and he was going to get its worth out of her. But somewhere in the back of his mind, Byakuya knew he would have let this sort of woman go any other day. Girls like this who had second thoughts about having sex often pissed him off. If they didn't have the mood, don't do it. It was a waste of his time as well.

But he wasn't going to let this _girl_ go. Byakuya did not know why.

She smelled lovely. That delicious scent of her human life force, almost subtly floral, coupled with the freshness of lavender body bath was overwhelming him. He wanted to wrap that scent around himself, feel it… feel her, taste her.

For just this once, he was curious and wondered about her. _How she would feel… how she would feel to him..._

* * *

 

Rukia felt his lips press against hers, so warm… so gentle. It reminded her of a lot of nice things. Of the fuzzy feeling of curling up under the blankets on a rainy day. Of the sweet taste of melted chocolate. Of the fresh smell of white lilies. His lips moved slightly over hers, pressing a little insistently against hers. She liked nice things, she liked them a lot.

Her tears stopped.

And Rukia… suddenly found herself kissing him back. She felt the man pull back for a second in surprise, before his mouth pressed once again on hers, a little more insistent this time.

Rukia did not know why. Maybe it was the overwhelming fear that was muddling her brain. Maybe it was the terror of giving herself to someone she did not know at all. Or maybe it was because of the warmth of his lips, moving so tenderly over hers…

* * *

 

Byakuya moved his mouth a little faster over hers now. He parted his lips slightly and ran his tongue slowly over her lips, and felt her jerk slightly. He cupped her face up to his, willing her to give him what he wanted.

And slowly, he felt her lips part tentatively to allow him entrance. Byakuya dipped his tongue into her mouth and moved it through the endless crevices and caverns. God, she tasted so sweet in all floral tea goodness. He teased her tongue playfully with his, and heard a soft moan from the back of her throat. Suppressing a groan, Byakuya smiled and withdrew his mouth from hers.

Her wide eyes met his, her cheeks a little flushed. She sniffled.

"Do you have a lover?"

She looked up at his voice. "W-Why do you want to know?"

Byakuya was shocked at his own question. _Yes, why did he want to know?_

"I'm just curious."

"Y-Yes."

It wasn't true, she only wanted him to be a lover, but she doubted if Ichigo reciprocated her feelings. They had never been on a date, never kissed, he never told her he loved her.

"But this is your first time?" Byakuya already knew the answer.

"Y-Yes."

Byakuya reached out and ran his fingers through her hair. Rukia tried hard not to tremble below him.

"What's happened to that ferocious girl in the shop?" Byakuya could not help but smirk at her. He watched the anger stir behind her eyes, and he felt something dimly come to life in him.

"What's the matter? Are you… _afraid_?" He leaned down close to whisper in her ear, and felt her tremble beneath him.

Slowly, she nodded, her eyes wide.

"Well, you should fear me… I am terrifying." He smirked at her. "But right here, right now, in this room… there's no space for fear. It's just _you, me_ … and _pleasure_."

"Take off my shirt, Rukia." He totally enjoyed the fear in her eyes. He took her hand up and placed it on his chest.

"Do it."

* * *

 

_Do it._

Rukia felt her cheeks heat up. She had never undressed any man in her life before, save for Otousan when she brought his home clothes to the hospital. And now…

Fingers trembling, Rukia reached up and touched the buttons on his expensive white shirt. Slowly, she undid the first one.

Her eyes widened as he reached down to her own bathrobe. His hand rested on the knot holding the fluffy white robe together, before taking up the ends to undo them.

Rukia undid the last of his buttons and looked up at him.

"Take my shirt off."

She tugged it softly from his shoulders and he slipped out of them. Rukia felt her face turn even redder at the magnificent nakedness in front of her. His chest was very built and strong, the muscles evident at his abdominal area. Rukia tried to look elsewhere but it was very difficult when he was right above her.

"The pants, Rukia. And then... _the rest_."

She obediently moved her shaky hands to his pants. As she did so, he easily undid the knot on her robes. The middle parting of her bathrobe treacherously loosened up. When Rukia hesitated at his underpants, Byakuya accomplished the deed himself.

_Naked._

There was now a completely naked man right on top of her.

Rukia squeezed her eyes shut but they immediately shot open when his hand parted her robes. Her cheeks turned red as the last of the fabric fell away, exposing everything of hers to this man.

"Rukia, touch me."

Her wide eyes met his, before a trembling hand moved upwards to his chest and lightly grazed his skin. Byakuya felt something jerk inside him at the touch of her fingertips on his chest. What was wrong with him tonight?

He let his eyes roved over the naked girl below him, whose face was the reddest shade he had ever seen in his life. He feasted his eyes on her body, taking in every inch of her skin. She was pale and soft, and almost glowing in the dim light of the room.

Slowly, Byakuya reached out one hand and ran it slowly down the length of her body as she shivered. He lowered himself over her and slowly began to let his lips and hands do the exploring.

* * *

 

Rukia closed her eyes as she felt his hands travel over her body. She was very scared, but now it wasn't only because of him. She was terrified of what was happening to her as he touched her, the emotions and feelings washing through her body. She tried to quench the sudden pounding in her, this warmth seeping in… _What was happening to her?_ She should not feel this way. If he was rougher and mindless, it would have been easier to hate, to hate him… to hate everything that was happening.

But it was not like that. His touch was soft, flitting over her skin like a feather and sending shoots of warmth with every touch. Rukia did not like it. This was not how it was supposed to be.

She closed her eyes and tried to conjure up another figure in her mind to be the one doing this to her. Orange hair, warm brown eyes. Muscled build.

_Ichigo._

Ichigo was kissing her, touching her, making her his. The thought made Rukia's heart soar, this was the guy she wanted to be with. Those were his lips moving down her neck now, warm and inviting. Those were his hands fondling her, memorizing every inch of her skin.

Without realizing it, her mouth opened in a soft moan. "I… Ichigo…"

His hands and mouth stopped moving again as her eyes shot open in shock, meeting those grey misty orbs.

"Ichigo?" Byakuya smiled slightly, not letting the small girl see the dim anger he felt at hearing the foreign name. _So she was trying to find her way out…_

"It's not Ichigo here, Rukia. It's Byakuya… don't delude yourself." His voice was deep.

" _Ichigo doesn't touch like this_ …" He moved his hand over her breast and outlined the gentle swell of the mound with his palm.

" _Nor kiss you like this_ …" He brushed his lips over her neck, so very soft and light at contact.

" _Or make you feel this way_ …" His thumb slowly stroked her nipple, making the bud pucker up as she gasped.

" _My name, Rukia_ …"

Rukia felt her breaths coming out fast. _No, don't give in… don't succumb… I… Ichi…_

" _My name_ …" He circled her nipple in erotic shapes with his finger as he kissed lower along her jawline, causing her traitorous heart to leap at every flash of pleasure…

" _Call me… Rukia_ …" His mouth moved lower, down the modest valley between her breasts.

_Ichi… Ich…_

Rukia sucked in her breath when his lips latched onto her breast. His tongue skimmed the creamy skin before circling around the stiff pearl, causing it to rub against him. He nipped at it gently before taking the entire bud in his mouth. Rukia cried out when Byakuya began to suckle on her breast. That intimate gesture was too much, it sent her senses into erotic overdrive. Her hands lifted off their own accord to entwine in his black hair as she tugged on them, making him emit a low growl. His mouth continued to move faster, as she struggled below him.

She closed her eyes and tried to visualize the orange hair but suddenly all she could see was the ebony black softness of the strands flowing in her fingers… tried to think of warm amber eyes but she could only feel the heat burning from the seductive grey orbs… tried to keep her heart in one piece but she could only see his face…. She opened her mouth.

" _B-Byakuya_ …"

Byakuya felt his desire flare strong and bright when he heard her call his name. It was the way she said it… so timid, so soft… yet so raw, so wanting… and desperate. It was her throaty voice, so conflicted over her own desires…

Byakuya moved to her other breast to repeat his ministrations, as he felt her body squirm under him. He trailed his lips down her waist, her stomach, her hips… lower… lower…

_I will bring you to my side soon enough, Rukia._

* * *

 

Rukia could not take it anymore. White stars were dancing in front of her eyes and she was having trouble getting hold of coherent thoughts or words. All she could feel was the warmth of his hands and mouth as they moved through every area on her body, even claiming her most intimate of areas. Sweat covered her skin now, and the pounding in her lower body was as strong as ever.

He was never as she had imagined. Wasn't like what she had thought he would be. Rukia could sense the gentleness and tenderness of his touch behind the erotic motions. He wasn't rough or animalistic or just plain sex-starved pervert, he was… _passionate_. She could feel it, despite his cocky smirk and sarcastic remarks that humiliated her. She could tell that he wanted her sexually…. but he hadn't drove himself straight into her and be done with it. He was going slow, his touch and kisses igniting bursts of warmth everywhere across her body, his deep voice carrying over her like a soothing wave. Why? Rukia did not know. Were all customers like this? She had heard terrifying stories of women abused physically during these sessions, as customers were allowed to do whatever they wanted to their "slaves". They were basically treated like animals, flipped here and there and ordered into humiliating positions. This wasn't it. This was… _different_. He was different.

And Rukia hated herself. Hated herself for… not being disgusted enough with him… and herself.

Why wasn't she flinching away from his touch, his kisses? Why was the despair and fear slowly dimming in her heart… replaced by a strange, desperate pounding? Why was her body suddenly growing warmer with each passing second, with each whisper of his voice in her ear? Why was she actually… wanting it somehow?

_Slut. She was such a slut._

And despite the shame, she found herself craving for his touch, his kisses… craving for more of him…

* * *

 

Byakuya tore his lips away from her irresistible skin as he looked her over once. She was… _beautiful_. The red flush on her body was perfect, the flustered expression… those intoxicating eyes...

He was already so hard with desire. He was starting to breathe fast even before it had started, and he had already begun extracting life force out of her. It was delicious… _she was delicious._

Byakuya nudged her legs apart gently and positioned himself over her. He saw her eyes cloud over with fear and anxiety… and grow slightly half-lidded as the drainage took a toll on her.

He bent down and kissed her passionately, washing away all her uncertainties. With his lips still on hers, he entered her and broke her virginal barrier in a single motion. She gasped into his mouth and tears began to pool in her eyes. Byakuya waited, waited for her to adjust to the foreign intrusion and bent down to kiss the salty spots at the edge of her eyes. He could barely contain his unrestrained desire but he waited.

And then he began to thrust…

* * *

 

Rukia gasped out as he finally penetrated her. It hurt, stinging her. She felt the tears leap into her eyes, tears of pain and sadness. She closed her eyes, waiting for the aggressive assault.

It did not come.

Her eyes shot open as she felt something warm touch her eyelids. He was kissing her, kissing her tears away. He did not move, as if waiting for something. Slowly, she felt her walls start to relax around his member and the pain subsided slightly.

She lifted her eyes to him.

_He was waiting... for her._

Rukia looked at him... and slowly nodded. She did not know when they had reached an unspoken interaction but this was it. And then he moved in a single motion, going deep into her. Rukia cried out, it was an intermix of pleasure and pain she had never felt before. She looked into his grey eyes burning into hers, and was mesmerized.

She needed this, she wanted this.

And yet… it was growing blurry… his face… the warmth…

_B… Byakuya…_

* * *

 

Byakuya saw her eyes lose their focus as she began to succumb to the lack of life force in her body. He could see that this tiny girl was being sapped off her energy and she was dwindling between unconsciousness already. How she kept herself up till this point was enough of a marvel, considering how small she was. But her life force… Byakuya could almost taste it on his lips… it was delicious… irresistible…

He saw her eyes slowly dwindling close.

_No._

_Rukia._

Byakuya suddenly felt a powerful tugging: he did not want her to go now. No. He wanted her awake and responsive below him, as he slowly inched to the climax. He wanted to pleasure her… stretch her so tight to her limits so she would never forget this moment. He wanted to hear her moans, feel her small hands scratch hard at his back as he went deeper into her. He wanted her… with him. He wanted her together with him as he reached his well-deserved pinnacle… and satiation.

Byakuya did not know why. He had never felt this way before.

In spite of his confusion, the desire burned strong. He wasn't here now to replenish his human life power, or to satisfy his demonic sexual needs. He was here for this tiny human girl below him. He wanted to make love to her. He needed to make love to her.

Byakuya closed his eyes, as he gripped her tight. And he allowed…

… just enough of his demon energy to flow into her. His demonic life force, just enough to keep this girl with him, keep her intoxicating violet eyes open and drowning him in them.

_The Sacred Exchange._

His very first Sacred Exchange after two thousand long years.

The ultimate symbol of pledged love between demons. _  
_

She gasped, her eyes clouding in worry at the uneasy sensation. But as he watched, her eyes slowly opened wide and clear. Slowly opened to him.

"B... Byakuya…" she called out, and Byakuya almost groaned. He drew out slightly to push back in, and heard her beautiful voice in a moan so sweet to his ears. He moved his mouth desperately across the feverish skin on her neck, as he began to thrust into her.

Byakuya lifted his lips from her neck to whisper into her ear, his voice raw with unrestrained desire.

" _Stay with me, Rukia_."

* * *

 

"Rukia…" Byakuya moved faster now, pumping hard into her. Her small hands scrabbled at him desperately, as her violet eyes took on the glazed look Byakuya knew only erotic pleasures could bring. Her walls were clenching him so hard Byakuya felt as if he was going to explode.

"B-Byakuya…" He heard his name escape her lips as she caught onto his shoulder and her nails dug into his skin. The way she called him… in that beautiful, raw voice filled with desire and need… Byakuya felt the passion in him flare uncontrollably. He was never like this before, had never felt this way before. He moved harder and faster, pressing her to him… going deeper, wanting to hear her call out his name twice before he ultimately made her his…

She called him thrice.

Rukia's body was on fire. She was burning, she really was. And it was all because of this strange man on top of her as he moved urgently in and out of her. Rukia could not see reason or principle anymore, all she could see and feel was him… as he slowly took away everything of hers.

_Byakuya._

She did not know how many times she had called out to him. She felt completely humiliated and ashamed of herself. How could she? How could she… feel this way about him when he was doing… this to her? She was such a slut, a whore. And yet, her heart refused to obey her brain as his name ripped out of her throat again and again as she felt the pleasure from their physical intimacy wash through her senses and body. She made sounds she thought she could not possibly make ever in her life, as she moved mindlessly under him. Her hands lifted traitorously from her sides to cling to his sweaty body, reflecting the desperate need in her own body. Felt the ecstasy turning her mind and world around, as they slowly reached the peak…

Byakuya could not take it anymore. He could feel bolts of pleasure shooting through his body each time his sex rubbed against hers. It was unbelievable… this tiny girl below him… Byakuya growled as he felt another wave of ecstasy wash through his body at a particularly hard thrust… She was moaning loudly, her hands bruising his skin… needing him… and he needed to make her his… needed to possess her… make her his woman…

_You will be… mine._

Byakuya gripped her hard and crushed his lips onto hers as he gave a powerful, strong thrust into her. It was pleasure as pleasure never was. It was white hot, and it ripped fast through both their bodies, making their minds blank out in the orgasmic wave of heat and warmth. She screamed into his mouth as she climaxed and that was all he needed. Byakuya gave a final thrust and threw back his head in pure ecstasy, shuddering as he spilled his seed deep inside of her.

He pressed his face into her shoulder as both of them tried to calm their panting breaths. Byakuya slowly opened his eyes to look at her, and she never looked more beautiful than at that moment to him. Her big violet eyes were wide and expressive, and a little damp around the edges from a new batch of tears threatening to overwhelm her. Her hair was messy and sweaty around her forehead, where dots of perspiration marked the incredible moments they went through just now. Her cheeks were flushed red and her beautiful lips were open, as she took in gulpfuls of air. Byakuya could not take his eyes off her, off this indescribable sight of beauty before him. This was his… she was all his.

" _B-Bya_ …" Her eyes focused on him dazedly, and he regrettably watched her lose her residual energy and consciousness before she could call out his name.

He slowly bent over her, taking in the whole of her, her face, her body, her touch, her scent. He should go, he was satiated now, this spiritual force would keep him going more than a week. He had always left, after he was done with any woman. He would return to his apartment suite, to his comfortable huge bed, devoid of any foreign nuisance or occupant other than himself. But he had never felt this way before, as he gazed at this small girl now sleeping below him. He felt that unbearable tugging at his heart… that wanting…

Before he could stop himself, Byakuya bent down and kissed her on the nose.

_Why… am I doing this?_

"Rukia…" he spoke softly, before he moved to her side and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

 

Byakuya heard something vibrating close to him. He stirred slightly and put his hand out to the right and groped over the polished wood surface. He picked up his mobile from the bedside table and opened his bleary eyes to look at the message.

_'Urgent clan meeting. Come quick.'_

His eyes narrowed, and he got up in the darkness. As he did so, the soft sheets fell away from him and he noticed the small figure sleeping next to him. Byakuya watched her silently. Her black hair fell in strands around her face and her expression was peaceful as she slept. Her chest moved up and down in slow, careful movements, and her small hands were curled up on the sheets.

He looked over at his mobile again. 6.a.m in the morning.

Byakuya lifted his eyes again to the sleeping girl, before suddenly reaching for her purse on the other bedside table. He opened it and stared at her identity card and driver's license.

_Ukitake, Rukia._

He went through her card slots: train tickets, hospital health card, supermart discount card… and then he saw the photos. A photo of her, as she posed under a big oak tree, the wind blowing her raven hair about her face as she beamed at the camera. She looked very beautiful, in a lacy yellow blouse. Byakuya smiled as he looked at the photo.

Another picture of her with a rather old man with long white hair. Was this her father?

Byakuya moved onto the next picture and he stiffened. She was smiling happily, flashing a peace sign to the camera, and looking absolutely gorgeous in a strapped pink dress. And that guy right next to her… he was orange-haired, with very brown eyes and a smirk to go with the rest of his ugly features. He was apparently lifting the camera up to take a picture of them together, and their heads were close together as they posed. Byakuya felt a ripple of anger pass through him.

_Do you have a lover?_

_Yes._

_So this is him._

Tearing his eyes away from the photo, Byakuya replaced everything back into her purse. At the last minute, he removed the small photo of her under the tree and placed it into his wallet. He then reached for her mobile phone.

He keyed a number into her mobile and pressed the green 'Call' button and watched as his phone vibrated once more on the table. Then he opened her 'New Message' option and started keying in something else.

* * *

 

Rukia stirred slightly, and slowly opened her eyes. She allowed the bleariness to clear, before the white ceiling came into focus.

_Where am I? What am I-_

She gasped and got up in bed. The blankets slid lower on her body, and she felt the air hit her bare breasts, reminding her of her nakedness. She gasped again and took up the sheets hurriedly, and immediately looked beside her. All that was left was tangled sheets and a depression in the bed next to her.

That man…

Last night…

_Byakuya._

Rukia reached for her clothing and felt the soreness of her limbs as she did so, reminding her again of what she had involved herself in last night. She closed her eyes, and tried to banish the lingering image of a pair of grey eyes filled with passion and desire. Those warm hands exploring her curves for the very first time. Those lips, claiming hers like never before.

_He left… even before I woke up._

She moved slightly on the bed, and then she saw it.

The red splotch on the white linen. Dried blood. The ultimate sign of being marked as a man's woman.

_A man whom she did not even know, and who had left after the night was over._

_A man who was never here for anything more._

Rukia's hand gripped the sheets hard, as she felt the bitter tickle start in her throat. And then she put her head onto her knees and cried in the silence of the bedroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do let me know what you think. :)
> 
> Cheers.


	4. Why?

"Rukia, stop being such a workaholic! Come on, the protein samples can wait!"

Rukia laughed. "You guys go ahead. I will catch you all at the café!"

"You better not be late, or Hiyori will bust your ass for missing out on our girl time!" Nel shook a patronizing finger at her before exiting the laboratory.

Rukia laughed and carefully transferred the sample into a fresh tube. She did not look up when the lab door swung open.

"I swear, I swear I'm coming soon."

"Are you?"

Rukia looked up, and felt a happy smile spread across her face.

" _Hey._ " Ichigo smiled easily at her as he leaned against the freezer door next to her workbench.

"H-Hey."

"Working hard again, young lady?"

"The usual." Rukia smiled and tried hard to concentrate on her protein experiment.

"How's your Dad? Is he okay?"

"He's good," Rukia answered happily. "I think this is a good turnaround. He's never been up and about like this before. I keep telling him to stay down and take things easy but he actually went to work for a full week now! And he's happier than ever! The hospital stay really did do him some good." Rukia beamed at Ichigo.

"That's wonderful. And it's so good to see you happy like this."

Rukia looked up and Ichigo smiled that wonderfully honest smile at her. She felt a red blush creeping onto her face.

"Uh, thanks."

She heard Ichigo stretch himself next to her. "So want another pair of hands? I might not take an interest in biomedical sciences, but my hands are very good tools, science or not." He reached out to the glovebox and snapped on a pair of latex gloves. "I promise not to mess up your experiments, and then we can finish quick and head down for lunch."

Rukia nodded, trying to find her focus as Ichigo stood close next to her. "H-How about you transfer the samples to fresh tubes and I will add the reagent? Just make sure you whack them back on the ice when you are done, because they have to be kept cold."

"Sure." Ichigo smiled easily at her, and started working on his first tube.

They continued working for the next ten minutes in comfortable silence.

"Hey Rukia?"

"Yes?"

"You want to go for miso soup…

 _Miso soup?_ Rukia felt her heart grow light with happiness.

… with us later this evening?"

 _Us. Of course._ Rukia stemmed the routine sadness and looked up.

"Y-Yeah. After evening classes?"

"Yep."

"Okay, I will be there after I have done my usual evening at the flowershop."

"Sounds great!" Ichigo labelled the last tube with a flourish and grinned again at her.

' _Why do you smile at me like that? It's a crime, Ichigo… a crime I cannot defend myself against_ ,' Rukia thought with mixed feelings.

"YO, LOVEBIRDS!" The loud voice jolted Rukia from her thoughts, before a bright red crept over her cheeks as the words sunk in.

"Yeah, you just came to spoil the moment. What's up, Shinji?" Ichigo tried to elbow the tall boy with jaw-length hair.

"Not much, but Hiyori's blowing her top down in the cafetaria and has ordered that I personally come to fireman carry Ukitake Rukia down to lunch."

Rukia laughed. "I swear this is the last tube, Shinji."

"Okay, just hurry. We don't want any more contact with her slippers, people."

* * *

 

"Who paid that idiot to teach our English literature class? Man, I could kick his ass and teach the class myself." The shocking blue-haired boy leaned back easily in his chair, the cerulean eyes in his handsome face scanning the cafeteria in an arrogant, laid-back manner.

"Yeah, yeah, you are always the best, aren't you, Grimmjow?" Ichigo took a big bite of his burger.

"Yeah. Or… would you like to fight me to prove otherwise?" Grimmjow leaned forwards in his seat, a dangerously sadistic look coming over his features.

"Stop trying to pick a fight with me all the time."

"You know… no blood, gore or girls makes ol' Peter a boring man."

"Did you just make that up or what?" Rukia muttered as Nel laughed. "You should study English more." She lifted a sushi roll and put it into her mouth.

"My Japanese and English are second to none." Grimmjow smirked and started shovelling fries into his mouth in an obvious attempt to outdo Ichigo.

"Don't work so hard, Rukia," Hiyori fixed a hard stare at Rukia across the table, her pigtails looking almost menacing. "You can treat your course the way some are treating their English language ones." Hiyori gave Grimmjow a dry look.

"Who me?" Nel asked, her eyes mischievous.

"Not you. Just the idiot who sits beside you everyday during class. Why don't you find someone else to sit with?"

"That's because everyone's afraid to mess with our Nel since they think she's Grimmjow's girlfriend," Shinji laughed as Nel blushed slightly.

"So miso soup evening, everyone?"

"Yeah." Ichigo, Rukia, Nel, Grimmjow, Shinji, Hiyori, Orihime, Ishida and Chad nodded.

"And how's your Dad, Rukia?"

"He's really good. The best he's ever been since two years."

"Oh that's wonderful, Ukitake-san!"

Rukia nodded happily. "Thank you."

"You must have had it hard during his hospital admission. But then, you must have done something really _good_ for him to recover!" Shinji smiled.

It happened so fast, all in her subconscious. Rukia's whole body jerked and her hand accidentally pushed her slushie bottle over the table edge.

"Hey!" Ichigo moved away as the bottle hit the floor, splattering green slush everywhere.

"O-Oh, I am so sorry!"

"You alright, Rukia?" Ichigo asked, a hint of worry in his voice.

"Y-Yeah."

Ichigo smiled. "Since I'm feeling good, I'll get you another slushie." He stood up from the table. "You sure you're okay?"

In her heart, Rukia successfully squashed the dark feelings threatening to come to life.

_It has been a week and a half…_

She looked up to flash Ichigo a smile.

"It's nothing."

* * *

 

"Hey, we are feeding today, aren't we?" Renji smiled easily as he arranged the folders on the polished black granite table.

Byakuya settled himself elegantly into one of the armchairs in the enormous, empty meeting hall. "I believe so."

"Oh, I forgot to ask you. Had too many duties so it slipped my mind. How was your last diet?" Renji grinned at Byakuya cheekily.

Byakuya slowly lifted his grey eyes to stare ahead. "It was really…

… _unexpected._ "

* * *

 

Rukia fastened her red florist apron over her clothes as she placed the black vase of red roses onto her working table. She picked up the pair of clippers and rolled out a clear dainty sheet of flowered wrapping paper. It was after class, and she had came in the shop to take more orders and get them out and running. She was also looking forward to supper with her friends.

Rukia hummed softly to herself as she cut the first three stalks of roses. _Miso soup with Ichigo, Miso soup with-_

Rukia looked at her mobile phone as she heard the familar tinkle of her ringtone.

_Private number._

She happily flipped it open. "Hello?" she made the greeting in a sing-song voice.

"Rukia." She did not recognize the voice, though it sounded rather familiar. It was a deep and resonating tone.

A male.

"Yep. Who is this?" She carefully balanced the mobile on her shoulder to her ear as she let her phone go and happily started cutting more rose stalks for the order that day.

"How are you?"

"I'm good. Er, who is this?" Rukia stopped cutting and frowned slightly in confusion.

"That's good. I just called for a while. Goodbye."

"Hey-

The line went dead. Rukia looked at her phone, puzzled.

_Who was that?_

* * *

 

Byakuya put down his sleek cordless office phone, his other hand clutching his mobile displaying his address book numbers.

Her voice.

She sounded happy and jovial, so different from the girl he had in his arms so many nights before. Byakuya tried to picture how she would look right now. She would be smiling, her eyes shining in happiness. She sounded busy, so she would be doing something which probably required both hands. Cooking, perhaps? He imagined her at an oven, working on some dough as she kept her mobile phone between her shoulders and ear as she talked to him. The image fitted perfectly.

Byakuya reached out a long arm and pulled his lower drawer open. He took out his wallet and flipped it open. Her picture smiled back at him behind the clear high-quality plastic.

_Rukia._

And in the privacy of his marvellous, rich office suite, Byakuya smiled for the first time that day.

* * *

 

"Great food! See ya everyone!" Rukia waved and smiled. It was after supper, and her friends were starting to make their way off to their respective destinations. Shinji and Hiyori were helping up a drunken Grimmjow who was shouting obscenities at every lamppost they tottered past. Orihime, Ishida and Chad were going to review some coursework later at the dorms that night.

"You are not coming in tonight?" Nel smiled at Rukia.

"Don't think so, you will have the unit to yourself. I need to take care of Otto-san for a bit this time."

"Okay, take care. And tell him I said hi!" Nel waved and ran off to join Orihime and the boys.

"Shall I walk you home?" Rukia looked up at Ichigo's voice.

"N-No, that's okay. I mean-

"RUKIA-SAN!"

Rukia turned at the familiar voice.

"Hanatarou!" The three exchanged cordial greetings before the petite raven-haired girl turn to the orange-haired boy. "You go on ahead, it's already very late and you don't want to be tired for class next day. I can walk with Hanatarou, I was thinking about getting some chewies at the store nearby anyway."

"Okay then. Good night, Rukia. Hanatarou." Ichigo smiled and headed off down the lane.

Rukia watched him for a bit before falling into step beside Hanatarou as they walked back home.

"How are you, Rukia-san?"

"I am good! How are you?"

"Good, good." They stopped outside a convenience store with a bright yellow ATM next to it.

"I will get you the chewies, Rukia-san." Hanatarou smiled as he watched Rukia head to the ATM to withdraw some money.

"It's okay. I can get it. I'm supposed to withdraw some money for the shop and grocery expenses anyway." Rukia smiled as she keyed in her PIN.

"Yeah, and maybe you can treat… Rukia-san, what's _wrong_?" Hanatarou hurriedly walked behind her, his face earnest in concern.

For Rukia had fell back slightly from the machine, her eyes fixed on the screen and her cheeks white as if she had just seen a ghost. Hanatarou peered over her shoulder worriedly.

"NO WAY!"

* * *

 

Byakuya kissed the woman, pressing down on her. She was not high-pitched but… it all seemed _not_ right. _Nothing was right._

He kissed her some more… and those lips were definitely lush and seductive but… no, he did not like them. Instead, he found himself thinking of small, soft ones, pink like the first blush on one's cheek during winter and so unyielding at first before eventually parting to allow him to taste her inside.

He kissed the woman harder, moving his lips fiercely down her neck as she moaned. It was good, this was how it should be. But it was not… not what he wanted somehow. This woman had a smooth neck and obviously perfumed herself well, the scent was alluring. But he found himself... _not_ wanting it. He wanted to run his lips down that thin fair column of hers, feeling her slowly arch her neck back despite her best resistance, and the soft gasp that escaped from her as his tongue flicked out onto her skin. He remembered the scent of her neck. She did not use perfurme, yet there was a soothingly familiar floral scent in her skin embodied with the lavender body bath she had immersed herself in, that drove him crazy.

He reached out and harshly massaged the woman's breasts, inciting more moans. This woman had an enourmous bosom, and fleshy breasts. But yet, what was right would be those small breasts that fitted snugly in his palm and to hear her gasp as he carressed her. To feel the delightful pink pearl pucker up underneath his fingers. To pleasure her.

What was right was to kiss _… her._

What was right was to touch… _her._

What was right was to make love… _to_ _her._

Byakuya groaned in frustration and withdrew his lips and hands from the woman below him.

"What's the matter?" She got up, and looked at him in confusion.

"Get out. I am done."

" _Huh?_ "

"You heard me right."

Byakuya reached for his black nightrobe and belted it up as the woman got up from the bed, miffed. Without another word, she marched out of the room stark naked and wolf whistles followed her down the corridor, a purposeful act to make Byakuya realize what he was potentially missing.

And he did not even care. The faster she was out of the room, the better.

Byakuya put his hands to his head and leaned back into the soft bed. He closed his eyes as he turned his face to the ceiling.

What was _wrong_ with him? That woman was downright sexy and voluptuous, he could have done anything with her… and also feed from her human energy force. He had never denied himself like this before. _What was wrong?_

But as Byakuya lay there on the bed with his eyes closed, the reason quickly became apparent. Became crystal clear.

It wasn't because he did not want to have sex.

It wasn't because that woman wasn't sexy or desirable enough.

It was because it was not what he wanted to be having, or rather... _who_ he wanted to be having.

The images immediately flashed into his mind. He saw himself glistening with sweat as he moved fiercely, going deeper into her as her small hands moved desperately over his own body. He saw her expressive violet eyes, so filled with raw desire for him as she looked up at him. The thought of seeing her wanting him so much made something hot and powerful stir within Byakuya. He heard her call out his name in her throaty voice, felt her small body tremble and move beneath his, powerless to him.

His eyes closed, Byakuya lay there in the bedroom as he felt his entire body throb in desire… _for her._

_Rukia._

* * *

 

"NO WAY!"

Rukia could not believe her eyes even as she heard Hanatarou shout. No. This was impossible. She must have logged into the wrong account.

_Because this was impossible._

But there it was… her name, Ukitake Rukia. And her account number.

But it was an impossible amount of savings, despite the leftovers from her past deposit. She had never had this much money in her life, had never even seen this much. But there the digits were on the electronic screen, in her name, her account. The amount in Japanese yen that could be enough to start an enormous business, or go travelling around the world for a few years.

"Rukia-san, I didn't know you were banking in THAT much! How much actually did you earn that night?"

Rukia whirled around to look at Hanatarou, her heart pounding. "W-What do you mean?"

"Did you forget, Rukia-san? The night you went out to look for a job for your Otto-san's hospital fee? The next morning, you sent me a message asking me for your account number. I naturally assumed you were going to bank in more money from your pay!"

As Hanatarou spoke, Rukia whipped out her silver mobile and flipped it open with trembling hands. She opened her outbox and scrolled down to the past 2 weeks timepoint.

_The time she did not want to relive ever again…_

And then she saw it.

Rukia stared at the message in dumbfounded silence. The message that no finger of hers had typed.

_'I forgot my bank account number, could you give it to me again? Some demon must have come over me.'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback welcomed. :)


	5. Way to You

"Madam Aiko."

"Sorry… we are arranging the customer list and are a bit busy at the moment if you cou-

Rukia watched the heavily-pencilled brows shoot up in surprise.

" _My dear Rukia!_ "

Rukia shifted nervously to her other foot as she stood before the counter. "L-Long time no see, Madam Aiko. I was wondering… if I could ask a favour of you."

"But my dear!" Madam Aiko stood up and walked out from behind the counter, ignoring her assistant who shot her an annoyed look at the sudden disruption to their work. She approached Rukia and gave her an uncharacteristic hug, as Rukia's eyes widened in surprise. "How have _you_ been?"

"I… I am good. How are you?"

"The usual… _business_." Madam Aiko smiled knowingly. "Gotta rake in my dough. And… what might bring you here, Rukia?"

"I… err…" Rukia had rehearsed a proper dialogue before she caught the bus to this district but at the moment she was at a loss for words. The familiarity of the foyer, that heavy perfume smell, the rich carpet, what she had found here… the person she met... the _feelings_...

"Is it about _Byakuya-san_?"

Rukia's violet eyes immediately locked onto Madam Aiko's black deep ones. It had been so long that she had not heard that name. It had been so long that he had whispered it into her ear in a sensual introduction, been so long that the name had escaped from her own throat in desperate pleas and moans as his touch sent her body into overwhelming desire. So long that she had tried to pretend she had never heard of that name…. ever.

"He's been asking about you."

Rukia's eyes widened.

"I have already told him you were only here as a…" Madam Aiko grinned and Rukia blushed. "… _one-time worker_. But yet, each time he's here for services, he enquires if _you_ are around."

Rukia felt something move deep inside her in that moment, though she wasn't really sure what. He asked… about _her… each_ time?

Something must have showed on Rukia's face because Madam Aiko's grin became wider. "And now, my dear, what request is this? Would you want to arrange another _session_?"

* * *

 

Byakuya stifled a yawn and sat up a little straighter in his executive chair. The meeting had barely begun and he was already tired. It looked like he would need to consume an inhumane amount of material food when he got home tonight to keep him going. Either that, or make a trip to the parlor again. Byakuya shuddered as he thought of that sexy, robust woman below him. He reached for the portable silver extension next to him and dialled a number.

"Miko, get me a cup of coffee."

* * *

 

Miko walked to her desk situated in front of Byakuya's office, back from the enormous meeting room where she had just presented the young executive with a hot cup of the finest St. Helena coffee. He had smiled at her, though briefly, and Miko had felt that fluttery feeling in her heart. Someday, she was so going to get her hands on him and as his personal assistant, there were so many opportunities. Miko had seized every attempt but somehow they didn't seem to move anywhere. She could tell that he had a curiosity in her, maybe even sexual (since he was a well-known playboy after all) but he did not seem to want to act on it. Miko was just going to have to push him over the edge. She was sexy, she reveled in her womanly attractiveness and now all she had to do was to get her young hot, rich employer to come to his senses. She wanted to be his hot woman, and was tired of having to deal with the daily trail of ugly females who made their way to his office, demanding commitment and-

Miko stopped.

_'Here we go again.'_

"What can I do for you?" Her voice was a sharp tone of irritance and possessiveness as she addressed the petite, short-haired girl standing in front of her desk.

* * *

 

Rukia jumped as she heard the voice. She watched as the curvy woman with long brown hair walked past her to settle down at the secretary's desk.

"Err… I…" Rukia cleared her throat nervously. "I came here to return something to Mister... Kuchiki Byakuya." She hurriedly placed the envelope containing the unbelievable amount of money she had taken out from her account on the secretary's table.

"And you are…?" The secretary gave her a disdainful look.

"I… J-Just an acquaintance."

The secretary frowned slightly and picked up the sealed envelope. "And what would it be? I regret to inform you this but Mister Kuchiki does not deal with requests for security fees or child support money."

Rukia's eyes widened. ' _Child support money? This man is really…_

"N-No. It's just something he borrowed me… which I have no use for."

The secretary raised her eyebrows. "Well then. Mister Kuchiki is a very busy person and does not deal with trivial matters like this very often. He's in a very important meeting now. If you would like to personally give it to him-

" _NO!_ " The secretary's eyes widened as Rukia practically shouted at her. "I-I mean, leaving it here would be just fine with me. T-Thank you so much."

"Have a nice day," the woman replied in the same annoyed tone and turned back to the computer screen.

Rukia bowed and turned to walk back to the lifts. She observed the walls, rooms and people as she walked. Rukia had obtained the contact address from Madam Aiko easily, who claimed rights to advertisement of her parlor if the information ever led to a future wedding. Rukia had agreed, not caring as long as she obtained his location so she could return the money. And when she stepped out from the taxi outside his workplace, she had felt her mouth drop open in shock.

_Kuchiki Byakuya. Acting director of the prestigious Azaris hotel chains._

Rukia pressed the 'down' button on the silver panel of the elevator.

He really was very rich and to hold power to such a great business empire. Rukia had felt so small as she had hurried through the beautiful foyer of the ground floor and taken the equally beautiful elevator up to the twenty-ninth floor, where his office was listed on. The money he had given to her would have been a laughable amount to him… but she had to return it. Yes, she had to return it.

The elevator arrived and Rukia walked in.

_She did not want to owe this man anything._

Rukia's eyes hardened in resolution as the elevator doors closed before her.

* * *

 

Byakuya strode out of the meeting room and in the direction of his office suite. "Thank you for the coffee, Miko," he remarked offhandedly as he passed his secretary's desk. She had given him a most expectant smile that Byakuya felt the obligation to address the task of making him a drink which was entirely in her job scope.

"No problem, Mister Kuchiki." She batted her eyelashes flirtatiously. "Oh, a girl came in just now to return something to you, Mister Kuchiki."

Byakuya nearly sighed. It was impossible. Women with whom he had sexual encounters, whether those from the parlor or from chance encounters in pubs or on the streets usually had some aftermath drama to play in his office. He knew they only wanted him for the same thing he wanted from them. Sex, a fun night fling with a good-looking partner. No one was supposed to follow up on that. But when they found out he had a gold mine, they came lining up out the door from his office. In rare instances, he even got incessant ladies who came up to him with a pregnancy or heck, even a born _toddler_ , to make paternity claims (ridiculously, when the encounter was just weeks old). Byakuya usually had his jealous secretary do away with the nuisance, supressing the need to tell these golddiggers that demons and humans could not possibly procreate together, except in very rare moments during Sacred Exchanges. Children borne of demon-human parentage were a taboo in the demon world.

And given that he had never performed the Sacred Exchange before… except _that one time_.

Byakuya got ready to wave off his secretary when she remarked with a little laugh. " _Funny little short thing she was_."

" _What?_ " Byakuya immediately bent forwards and the secretary looked taken aback by his reaction.

" _What was her name_?" Slowly, Byakuya's heart began pounding fast, almost as if it was natural.

"She did not say. She was really nervous and twitchy though, and nearly screamed at me when I asked her whether she would like to see you personally. Mister Kuchiki, are you-

" _And?_ "

The secretary frowned. "W-Well, she said no, and left about ten minutes ago."

All the while, Byakuya was urolling the string off the envelope. He opened it, took a look inside and immediately knew.

_Rukia had come here._

_Came to his office building._

_Came to find him.  
_

Without another word, he turned and walked hurriedly to the lifts.

"Mister Kuchiki!" He ignored his secretary behind him.

* * *

 

The elevator doors opened and Byakuya stepped out into the grand hall of his hotel business building. He quickly scanned the foyer with his alert eyes, trusting that he would be able to recognize the girl who had been haunting his thoughts and dreams almost every night. He looked at the office people in their suits milling up and down, staring at the young executive who rarely left his marvellous office suite during office hours.

_No._

No sign of any girl like that.

No sign of Rukia.

_She was gone._

Byakuya turned and took the next lift back up to his office. Ignoring his secretary yet another time, he entered his suite and picked up the receiver as he dialled a numerical combination into his office phone.

"I want all information on every female by the name of Ukitake Rukia by five this evening. Have them in printouts for each individual and place them on my office desk."

He replaced the receiver on its holder and sat back onto his seat, his heart still beating fast. What was he doing?

_I was trying to forget you, was never going to do anything more. It's not like this now, Rukia._

_You came to me first._

* * *

 

Rukia walked down the street, trying to inject some happy swing to her steps. She had returned his money, and now could really put everything behind her. It was a symbolic act, showing him she did not want to be in any way attached to him. But as she walked, she could feel a small part of her heart grow heavier with each step. What was wrong with her?

And why did he give her so much money? Was it because he _pitied_ her, after watching her cry? Was it because he was… _pleased_? Rukia did not think so. She was nothing compared to the women-

' _Stop it! Don't think about it!_ " Rukia closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Yes, she should be happy. Rukia skipped a little down the street.

It really was all over and done with.

* * *

 

Byakuya reached out to his desk as his trusted men exited his office suite. The stack of papers was not thick, and held together with a silver paper clip. He looked at the yellow Post-it note stuck to the front cover.

_Only a single Ukitake Rukia found._

Ignoring the way his heart was pounding erratically, Byakuya flipped to the next page.

Her beautiful picture smiled back at him.

_Ukitake Rukia, twenty-one. Medical Sciences student, Nagoya University._

_Lives with adopted father, Ukitake Jushiro, fifty-five with home residence at 32, 2-1-1 Kamiosaki, Tokyo. Second residence in Nagoya University dorm at 5-1-2, Block E, Building 5 (one female roommate Neliel)._

_Owns florist shop Amor at 32, 2-1-1 Kamiosaki, Tokyo (over home residence)._

Byakuya felt his face spread into an anticipating grin.

_Ukitake Rukia…_

_…. I have found you._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments appreciated. :)


End file.
